Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free Audiobook

" For all the left wingers out there. I listened to this one, skipped through some parts. I enjoyed the sections on popular culture (the scourge of reality tv, right wing talk radio, etc.) more than the historical stuff. The author just went into a little more detail than I could pay attention to in my 40-minute commute. Though, as a whole, I tend to like books like this. About how stupid we've all become. Perhaps that says more about me. "

" Good and straight-forward explanation why the current GOP platform is dangerous. It exposes how our collective lack of critical thinking privileges emotional reasoning for the sake of truth and fact. History and science based in evidence become secondary to imagined ideas that make us feel good. This is a natural by-product of a nation built on imagination and free speech but the notion of "faith" as "fact" is over-riding our ability to self-govern. The writing becomes a bit repetitive (he loves the word apotheosis much too much) but the argument is clear and supported with current events that bring home the danger that just because one feels something true doesn't make it so. "

" "The potent narcotic of reassuring simplicity..." "

" Just finished this book and I liked it. Makes a compelling case that the anti-intellectual streak in American life has become an assault on knowing what you are doing, period. Examples include the Terri Schiavo case, wherein the opinions of doctors who acftually treated Ms Schiavo, her husband who saw her almost every day, the judges who ruled on her case after exhausting deliberations, etc, meant nothing once the media chose to make a circus--and the wingnuts decided to make a cause--of it. Other examples abound, including teaching evolution or teaching "the controversy", race to war in Iraq, defense of torture by Antonin Scalia (who actually quoted Jack Bauer) and so on. "

" It could not hold my attention and I gave it back to the library after renewing. "

" Judging by the first few chapters you might fear the book would devolve into a liberal snarkfest, but stick with it - Pierce soon gets into some serious, scathing journalism, especially in his chapters on the Terry Schiavo case, global warming denial and the Iraq War boondoggle. On the whole, Idiot America makes for sardonic, maddening, important reading. "

" He presents a creditable argument for the dumbing down of American, and a frightening view of the results of that. It left me feeling a little sad, and had several great lines such as this one uttered by a proponent of the intelligent design debate (? if it can be called that) " we have been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture". He was setting that up as a bad thing, enough said. "

" Just some well-researched rantings. Expected more. "

" Highly entertaining and yet horrifically depressing that, yes, we do live in Idiot America. "

" Enjoyed this book as it gave me those "Ah Ha" moments. Critical thinking has disappeared from much of the thinking today and Mr. Pierce points that out in a humorous way. "

" Great writing and a sardonic turn of phrase. Really interesting analysis. "

" It started off well but then I got super bored. Life is too short to read books that bore me, so I quit. "

" Good concept, good writing, funny, and had wonderful insight on Great American Cranks "

" Hilarious (and concise) history of how cranks and wackos have influenced America from the country's inception to the present. Gaspingly funny while being informative. Must. Read. "

" The title and introduction are awesome, but then the author spends too much time talking about people not exactly relevant to the contemporary conversation. "

" An excellent take on how the "crazies" and the conservatives have taken over America. He uses our history as far back as the writers of the Constitution to show how the framers knew this was coming and tried to prevent it! Charles Pierce writes in a very easy to read style. "

" The chapter on the systematic marginalization and dismissal of expertise after 9/11 in favor of what a few guys wanted ....and lied to the UN and Congress and all of us to get ...is one of the most horrifying and depressing things I've read in maybe ever. All those young lives. All that money. "

" I thought of Mark Twain and his pen warmed in hell when I read this book. "

" Funny, scary, morbid, and sobering. A well researched and well written look at modern (north) America and the prevalence of plain stupidity. "

" The writing and organization of the book could use some work, but I highly enjoyed it. The stories presented fit perfectly with Pierce's thesis and idea of the book. It was also hilarious. "

" Mostly a condemnation of the teaching of creationism in America. Reminds us that America has always been a haven for idiots and lost causes. Unfortunately, now we have the internet to broadcast these crazy ideas far and wide. "

" Be afraid, be very afraid. This book is a real wake-up call and makes abundantly clear that what was once the greatest nation on earth is rapidly sinking into swamp of stupidity. "

" When I started this as a library book I thought it would be just another funny book by a funny guy. Turns out it brings along a number of important concepts about America and what our society has become. It is somewhat ironic that I finished reading it on "rapture day". "

" Frighteningly true. And with the rise of the Tea Party getting truer by the minute. "

" Anyone who has wondered why America is being dumbed down will enjoy this book. It might make you mad. "

" An attack on commercialism as much as anything else - this is not an assault on religion (only fundamentalism forcing it's way into the main stream on issues such as science), or even on cranks ( just the comical drive to use cranks to ll 'units'). "

" Good concept, good writing, funny, and had wonderful insight on Great American Cranks "

" While a little over the top at some times, a very good commentary on our times. I particularly enjoyed the different perspectives from the Elian Gonzalez affair, I had not heard those stories at all. Puts perspective on all of the information comming at us. "